Hang on, Hurricane

WHS builds 21-0 lead, then clings to 28-21 win

By Shawn Robinson - WNJ Sports Writer

Cameron Stewart, WHS senior, returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown Saturday against Bellbrook, but the play was wiped out by a WHS penalty for too many players on the field. Stewart was escorted to the end zone by teammates Austin Camp (20) and Tony Merritt (32).

Linda Rinehart | News Journal

BELLBROOK – In a game played Saturday because of inclement weather Friday, Wilmington raced to a 21-0 lead on its first three possessions at Bellbrook and then held on for dear life for a 28-21 victory.

Dylan Beaugard was the game’s headliner with 188 receiving and 58 rushing yards, and two touchdowns. He logged several exploits that helped the Hurricane snatch a win against a regional semifinalist from a year ago and could loom large in the 2015 Division III, Region 10 playoff chase.

Beaugard sealed the victory with a leaping interception in the back of the end zone with 40 seconds left in the game.

This came nearly five minutes after he hauled in Matt Creditt’s pass between two defenders and raced the rest of the way for a 76-yard touchdown. The 3rd-and-9 play gave the Hurricane the lead for good, 28-21.

Beaugard also took a direct snap out of the wildcat formation 59 yards up the middle to put Wilmington up 21-0.

His 66-yard reception to the Bellbrook 3 set up Wilmington’s second score, a TraLee Joiner 1-yard plunge.

And his 9-yard grab from Creditt on 4th-and-6 at the Bellbrook 19 kept alive Wilmington’s first scoring drive, which ended two plays later with Creditt’s 9-yard scramble into the end zone.

Bellbrook capitalized on Wilmington mistakes to get back into the game.

Wilmington had a 90-yard punt return for score and a 28-0 cushion wiped out for too many men on the field. The subsequent Hurricane drive stalled and ended with a blocked punt. Bellbrook marched 20 yards in six plays to finally get on the board.

“With us, the norm is when it’s going good, it goes, but when it goes bad, it’s goes real bad,” Wilmington head coach Scott Killen said. “When we execute, we’re a good football team. It’s when we get confused that teams take advantage of us.

“I’m proud of our kids. We handled the adversity. We handled the heat. We battled through it. We’re 2-0 and we’re moving on to next week.”

Wilmington fumbled the ball back to Bellbook on the first play of the next drive. The Eagles turned that into seven just before the end of the half.

Bellbrook (1-1) scored on the first play on its second drive of the third quarter to tie the game at 21. That came after the Eagles squashed Wilmington’s fake punt attempt on 4th-and-17 from the Hurricane 35.

“The fake punt is one of those things we’ve practiced. We liked it. It was open. We just didn’t execute it,” Killen said. “Did it cost us? Yes. Would I do it again? Probably. I didn’t hesitate.”

The Eagles reached the Wilmington 15 and 25 on drives in the fourth quarter but the Hurricane thwarted those threats.

“If it’s a close game in the fourth quarter, I’m betting on my team to pull it out,” Killen said.

Cameron Stewart, WHS senior, returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown Saturday against Bellbrook, but the play was wiped out by a WHS penalty for too many players on the field. Stewart was escorted to the end zone by teammates Austin Camp (20) and Tony Merritt (32).

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2015/09/web1_FB2.wilm_.3.jpgCameron Stewart, WHS senior, returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown Saturday against Bellbrook, but the play was wiped out by a WHS penalty for too many players on the field. Stewart was escorted to the end zone by teammates Austin Camp (20) and Tony Merritt (32). Linda Rinehart | News Journal